Trimac Cichlid, Amphilophus trimaculatus
Trimac Cichlid, Amphilophus trimaculatus. Fish caught from an urban tidal canal, Singapore, July 2022. Length: 17 cm (6.7 inches). Catch, photograph and identification courtesy of Luke Ovgard, Klamath Falls, Oregon. This fish was introduced to Singapore via aquarium releases and has become established.
The Trimac Cichlid, Amphilophus trimaculatus, is a member of the Cichlid and Tilapia or Cichilidae Family, that is also known as the Red-eyed Cichlid and the Three Spot Cichlid and in Mexico as mojarra prieta. Globally, there are twenty-three species in the genus Amphilophus, with this species being the only one fund in Mexican waters.
The Trimac Cichlid are large in stature and heavily bodied that are similar to talapia in shape. They have a yellow or green hue with a distinctive pattern of spots just above the mid-line. The males are vividly colored and have longer pointed darker fins with the dorsal fin and a large red spot behind the gills. The mature males will possess a nuchal hump. The females are similar in color but the colors are more drab with faint spotting on their dorsal fins with a black spot in the middle of the dorsal fin that is lacking in the males. The juveniles are very drab in color but undergo a dramatic transformation and become vividly colored as adults. They have life spans of up to twelve years in captivity.
The Trimac Cichlid is a freshwater benthopelagic species that are found primarily in slow-flowing rivers with muddy or sandy substrate that has abundant vegetation at depths up to 2 m (7 feet). They are very adaptable and are found in a wide variety of freshwater environments. They are sexually dimorphic and fast growing with males reaching 36.5 cm (14 inches) in length and females 25 cm (10 inches) in length. They are found in the wild in waters between 21oC (70oF) and 30oC (85oF). They are omnivores that feed predominantly on small fishes, macro-invertebrates including aquatic and terrestrial insects. Each female can lay up to 1,000 eggs, that are fertilized externally by the males, with both parents guarding the eggs and fry. The Trimac Cichlid is poorly studied with very limited information available about their lifestyle and behavioral patterns including specific details on age, growth, longevity, movement patterns, diet, habitat use, and reproduction.
The Trimac Cichlid is native to the low altitude freshwater coastal areas of the Pacific Slope of Central American and found from southern Mexico to Panama. In Mexico they range from the Laguna de Coyuca, northwest of Acapulco, Chiapas, Guerrero, and Oaxaca.
The Trimac Cichlid is a straightforward identification that cannot be confused with any other species to the prominent spots on their sides.
From a conservation perspective the Trimac Cichlid is currently considered to be Least Concern due to their wide distribution however in many areas their populations have significant declined which is attributed to the deterioration of their native habitat caused by human development, over-fishing, and the introduction of non-native species including carp and tilapia. Although the adults are striking in appearance they are not utilized by the aquarium trade extensively as they require large tanks and become very large within a year developing an aggressively personality. They can be bred in captivity.